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MLB: Puig a hot All-Star topic – but not the only one

Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig watches his solo home run against the Rockies on Tuesday in Denver. Whether he'll play in the All-Star game has become a heated debate.

NEW YORK – Lost in all the commotion about Yasiel Puig are the trickiest predicaments when it comes to the All-Star game.

Look at that logjam
at third base in the American League!

“I’m not going to take five third basemen to the All-Star game,” said Detroit’s Jim Leyland, who will manage the American League team July 16 at Citi Field in New York.

The National League
is overloaded with pitchers.

And who in the name of old Jack Murphy Stadium is going to represent the San Diego Padres?

So while the polarizing debate over whether Puig should be selected Saturday is certainly a juicy one, when all is said and done he’ll either have a backup role in the NL outfield or he won’t. The most difficult decisions involve other positions.

Buster Posey or Yadier Molina behind the plate for the NL? Robinson Cano or Dustin Pedroia at second base in the AL?

“The hardest part is leaving guys off. That’s by far the hardest thing. It goes with the territory when you pick a team. There is more written about the snubs than the guys that make it,” said San Francisco’s Bruce Bochy, the NL manager.

Every club must have an All-Star, and rosters are limited to 34 spots – with at least 13 going to pitchers.

That’s the maddening part of putting together the puzzle – and the beauty of it all, too. Sizzling baseball arguments in the heat of summer.

As for Puig, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ rookie sensation, the uproar over whether he should be included after only one spectacular month in the majors is nothing new.

The same thing happened with Stephen Strasburg 3 years ago, and his Nationals teammate Bryce Harper last season – although the outfielder had at least had 2 months under his belt after getting called up in late April.

Harper got in, Strasburg was left out. And both times, the sun came up the next day.

So without regard to fan or player balloting, here are our selections for the 84th All-Star game at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets since 2009. Rosters will be announced Saturday evening.

Starting with the AL:

First Base – Davis is putting up incredible power numbers during a breakout season for Baltimore. His backup is another heavy hitter, Prince Fielder of the Tigers.

Second Base – Cano, in the final year of his contract with the Yankees, gets the nod over Red Sox rival Pedroia. Also in the mix is Jason Kipnis, quietly having a tremendous season for Cleveland.

Shortstop – Detroit’s Jhonny Peralta edges J.J. Hardy of the Orioles. An underrated Jed Lowrie warrants a look in Oakland but gets left off in the end.

Third Base – Cabrera gets the start for Detroit, and all four boppers mentioned above make it as reserves: Longoria, Donaldson, Beltre and Machado, who turns 21 on Saturday. They’ve all been too good to leave anyone out.

Relievers – A save in his final All-Star game would be a nice farewell for Rivera, who plans to retire after the season. Rangers closer Joe Nathan and Oakland’s Grant Balfour round out the bullpen.

And in the NL:

First Base – Goldschmidt, a blossoming star in Arizona, gets the surprise start in a tight race with Cincinnati’s Joey Votto. Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles’ Adrian Gonzalez and St. Louis’ Allen Craig get the call as well at another power-packed position. Craig can also play the outfield.

Second Base – Cardinals leadoff man Matt Carpenter has emerged as the unexpected starter. Brandon Phillips of the Reds, a Gold Glove defender and reliable RBI guy, is the backup.

Third Base – Hometown star and fan favorite David Wright of the Mets is the clear choice. Only fitting. Backing him up is Pittsburgh bopper Pedro Alvarez, who went to high school in New York City. Nice story.

Catcher – Can’t get much closer than the race between Buster Posey, the NL MVP from San Francisco, and Yadier Molina, the defensive standout from St. Louis who leads the league in hitting. Fan balloting has reflected that, too. The nod here goes to Molina, but you really can’t go wrong either way.

Starting Pitchers – Much has been made in New York about whether Mets ace Matt Harvey should start the All-Star game on his home mound. He’s certainly worthy of the honor, but the pick here is Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. Either way, that’s a pretty nasty left-right combination in the early innings. Also making the cut from a deep pool of deserving candidates are St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright, Washington’s Jordan Zimmermann, Chicago’s Jeff Samardzija, 20-year-old Miami rookie Jose Fernandez and San Diego veteran Jason Marquis, who gets rewarded with a trip back home. Besides Kershaw, the left-handers are Philadelphia’s Cliff Lee, Arizona’s Patrick Corbin and Pittsburgh’s Jeff Locke.

Relievers – In his initial season as a closer, 36-year-old Jason Grilli of the Pirates has been practically untouchable, earning him his first All-Star selection with the game just minutes from home. Another nice story. The bullpen also features a pair of fireballers in Braves right-hander Craig Kimbrel and Reds lefty Aroldis Chapman. Somehow, there’s no room for St. Louis savior Edward Mujica, which is a shame.

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